Five Questions for July 15, 2013: Troy Schumacher

Troy Schumacher is corps de ballet member of New York City Ballet. He performed his first ballet -- Balanchine's "Stars and Stripes" -- with NYCB in 2005.

Q What else do you do?

A In my spare time, I've founded a collaborative arts company named BalletCollective aimed at bringing artists together to collaborate as equals in the creation of new ballets. I'm especially excited for August, when BalletCollective will be presented by Joyce Theater.

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Q Where are you from?

A I grew up in Stone Mountain, Ga. My love of barbecue is still intact.

Q When you are in Saratoga, what does a typical day look like?

A I normally try to get up a little earlier than I would in New York City so I can have my coffee on our porch -- something I can't normally do. I'll go take company class. Peter Martins often teaches our morning technique class in Saratoga, which is a nice change of pace for us. Then, we'll begin our rehearsals for that week's ballets. Any chance I get, I'll call Roosevelt Baths to take a soak or go to the pool. It seems like I'm so busy when I'm in New York that I never get outside, so I try to do that in Saratoga as much as I can. Before a show, I'll grab an iced coffee and head to the theater to prepare for whatever I'm dancing that evening. After the performance, Ashley Laracey -- my fiancée and an NYCB soloist -- and I will drive home and I'll cook dinner. I love to cook and do so frequently in the city, but a grill is a nice thing!

Q What is your favorite dance role with NYCB?

A We're all so lucky to dance an abundance of great ballets at New York City Ballet. That's why we all wanted to dance here. In Saratoga, I'll perform in Peter Martins' "Hallelujah Junction," George Balanchine's "Rubies" and as a Jet in Jerome Robbins' "West Side Story Suite." These are three ballets I love to dance. Aside from my repertory this season, I've had amazing experiences dancing Puck in Balanchine's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and the lead in the men's regiment in Balanchine's "Stars and Stripes."

Q Why do you love coming to Saratoga Performing Arts Center?

A Personally, I love getting the opportunity to see the audiences when we perform at SPAC. Matinees, though often hot, are especially fun. We see the kids running around the lawn and the smiling faces in the seats. It makes us feel a special connection to the community that's unlike performing anywhere else.